Small Town Big Living: Conner

Showing posts with label Conner. Show all posts

4/29/2012

Reflections

Wow I can not believe Conner will be 2 months on Tuesday. He has changed so much since he was born. Today I was looking though pictures from the hospital, working on a Shutterfly book, wow has he gotten big. He is starting to hold his head up really well. Loves to lay on his play mat and kick his feet, looking at the mirrored octopus. Conner is smiling more and cooing more often.

He made his first big trip at the beginning of the month. We went to Minnesota for Easter and he was baptized on Easter Sunday, in the same baptism gown his Grandma, Great-uncle, Mom, Uncle Callen, and my cousin Jamie were all baptized in. He was awed over by all of his grandmas, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandpas, and many friends. He did very well on the car ride both there and back, but it helped that we stopped 1/2 way overnight. Grandma and Grandpa even babysat one night while we went out to dinner with friends.

I am thanking my lucky stars that Breast Feeding has been going great. I have been pumping once a day to start a freezer stash of breast milk for when I have to go back to work. Currently I have almost 90 oz frozen!! Cloth Diapering has also been going great. We used some home made diapers the first month, until Conner got to big for them. Now we are almost exclusively using BumGenius 4.0 Diapers (http://www.bumgenius.com/). We have 24 Diapers and do a load of diaper laundry every other day. BumGenius Diapers according to there website fit baby's from 7-35 pounds. We have found we like the snap closures better because they stay on more securely. I will write more later about the savings of Cloth Diapers not only on the environment but also the wallet.

I LOVE being home with Conner. He keeps me laughing and busy. I am dreading going back to work on the 9th of May. He will go to daycare starting the 16th. I love our daycare lady, Elizabeth, so I know he will be in good hands, but I am still nervous about going without him for 10 hours. I am trying not to focus on that yet and trying to enjoy my time at home with Conner.

4/02/2012

1 month old

Conner in Mikes Sweater from when he was a baby... Not to Happy

Conner with Quilt from Grandma and Bear from Uncle Callen

Conner is One Month old. I cannot believe how fast this month has gone. He is growing every day and staying more alert. He follows some noises and toys with his eyes. He loves music and the sound of a crinkled plastic bag. To calm him down we put him in the car seat and stroller and take him for a walk with Cora. Conner likes being in the Ergo and Moby carriers, they make it easy for us to get things done around the house when he wants to be held. Conner has been sleeping in his crib 95% of the time at night, on his side with a receiving blanket rolled up behind him. During the day he naps in the Baby Papasan, the swing or being held.

He is now 100% breast fed and 100% of the time Cloth Diapered. (Yep I am a Crunchy Mama.) We have decided to go with BumGenious 4.0 Diapers (http://www.bumgenius.com/one-size.php) as our primary Diaper. So far we have 9 and will slowly add to our stash until we have between 24 and 36. We do diaper laundry every over day so it is not that big of a hindrance.

Conner has had lots of visitors this month. Grandma and Grandpa stayed here for 10 days. Samantha, Hans and Jacob visited for 5 days. And Great Grandma and Great Grandpa B. came for 3 days. He also has had lots of Home Town Friends come to visit.

I can't wait to see how he will grow and change this coming month. I love staying home with him.

3/30/2012

4 weeks (and 1 day)

3/21/2012

3 weeks

Snuggling on Blanket from Great-Aunt Pam

Conner's Grin

Cora is interested

Tummy Time

Apparently tummy time is boring

Turned him on his back and he almost rolled over!

3/17/2012

The Birth: Plan vs Reality

Labor

- We intend to have a Natural Birth

o I went Natural until we went in for the C-section

- We know pain medication and epidural is available, please do not offer them. We will ask if we want them.

o The nurses were very good about this until C-section

- Please help us by suggesting natural pain relief options. And numerous positions while pushing.

o The nurses helped with different positions and breathing techniques until C-section

- Help us to keep the birthing room calm, quiet and as peaceful as possible.

o Most the time it was just Mike and I in the room, until issues came up

- Intermittent fetal monitoring and a heparin lock are preferred. Megan will naturally hydrate with water.

o Again this was done until issues came up

- We would like to be allowed to progress free of stringent time limits and have my labor augmented only if necessary

o Because of the heart decals we had to have C-section

- When pushing I’d like to do it instinctively and be allowed to progress without a time constraint as long as the baby and I are doing ok.

o Never got to this point

- I would prefer not to have an episiotomy.

o Never got to this point

If a C-section becomes necessary we would like

- Mike to present at all times during the operation

o It took him a really long time to get into the operating room

- the screen lowered a bit so I can see my baby being delivered

o Nope

- the baby to be given to my partner as soon as s/he's dried, if appropriate

o Nope

- to breastfeed my baby in the recovery room

o Nope

After birth

- Mike would like to cut the cord, if baby is healthy please wait until after the cord as stopped pulsing

o Nope

- We do not know the sex of Blueberry, DH would like to announce the sex.

o Nope

- If a medical emergency shall arise with the baby Mike will accompany the baby at all times

o Mike got to go with him after the C-section, only came to recovery to help calm me down

- Immediate skin to skin contact with mom is planned

o Nope… 5 hours later

- We plan to breastfeed and would like to within the first hour. Please hold all testing, weighing and bath until we have had a chance to try and bond.

o Haha Nope

- We plan to breastfeed. Please do not offer Blueberry a bottle or a pacifier

o He was not given a bottle until it was required because of his blood sugar and Mike gave it to him. His had only had a pacifier during his circumcision.

- All tests on baby shall be done in our presence, preferably in our room.

o Most were.

Conner's Birth Story

2/29/12

2230 Contractions Start

3/1/12

0130 Water broke, with meconium

0150 Leave for Hospital, grab a banana to eat on the way because I know when I get there I will not be able to eat

0200 Enter Hospital, get checked and I was 3cm

0200-1000 Contractions increase in intensity and frequency

I mostly labor on a birthing ball with Mike applying pressure on my lower back during contractions.

At some time I puked up the banana I had eaten on the way to the hospital

Labored on hands and knees for an hour when I was not progressing fast, assuming baby is sunny side up.

I had no drugs and only a saline lock on my hand.

1000 While working through contractions on a birthing ball, nurse rushes into room tells me to get on bed and turn on my side NOW!

She starts moving the heart rate monitor around and we hear nothing. Mike and I are FREAKING OUT. After what seems like FOREVER she gets the heart beat. Tells us Blueberry’s heart rate was down into the 60’s for 2 minutes. She starts fluid in my IV line and checks me again. I was at 6 cm and the baby’s head is still very high. Nurse says she is going to call doctor to come see me. I really have to pee but she makes me wait until Blueberry’s heart rate stabilized. She finally lets me up but I have to get right back in bed and lay on my left side. Working through contractions while laying in bed SUCKS, Mike could not get to my back easily. I am in major pain and considering, in my mind, getting drugs.

1045 Dr. Shuwarger comes in and checks me, still at 6 cm. Contractions still horrid, laying in bed. He tells me that the baby’s head is still really high. The baby is not tolerating the contractions well, could be because of the meconium in my water. He said I was not dilating very fast. He said we had to go in for a C-section. I freak out. This is the last thing I wanted. Mike stayed calm said it would be ok and texts our parents asking for prayers.

From here on times are a little sketchy.

1050 they get Mike the gear to go into the OR. A nurse has me drink this nasty shot of something to help my stomach. The anesthesiologist comes in and talks to us. Tells us they plan to use a spinal. I have to sign 3 sheets to say I am ok with the c-section, the spinal and something else; not easy to do while lying on your back, crying, and in labor. The nurse has to put in a catheter. And we head to the OR. I am freaking out and crying, scared and feeling like I had failed. We get to the OR doors and Mikes has to leave.

1100ish there are at least 7 people in the OR. They move me from my bed to the operating table. Turn on my left side and start to work on the spinal. A contraction hit. OMG talk about pain and I had to stay perfectly still. They had to nurses holding me still and I felt an electrical type shock in my left leg then they rolled me to my back and my lower body started feeling asleep, like when your foot falls asleep. I keep freaking out, asking where Mike is, why is he not in there yet and saying I needed Mike.

1115ish Mike gets into the OR finally I am cry, and scared worried about Blueberry. And they start the surgery

1132 IT’S A BOY! I get to see Blueberry for 1.5 seconds and they whisk him away, Mike goes with him. I am really disappointment we have no picture of me with Blueberry in the OR. I do not remember really seeing him in the OR. I had tears in my eyes, my arms were strapped down and I was given a sedative since I was freaking out.

I wake up in recovery begging to see my baby. They nurse there says that I need to wait until the anesthesiologist clears me. He eventually comes says I am good to go. Recovery nurse gets a helper to wheel me to Labor and Delivery, then says I have to wait longer because Labor and Delivery is not ready for me.

1245 Mike comes to recovery. I am freaking out wanting to see my baby NOW. Recovery says again I can go back to Labor and Delivery, but there are no nurses in Labor and Delivery to take care of me… Mike says it is because they are all working on Blueberry. (yeah that did not make me feel any better)

1330 I finally get to go back to the Labor and Delivery. I got to see Blueberry through the window to the nursery but I did not get to touch of hold him. Nurses and Doctor Small continue to work on Blueberry.

1615 The nurses say Blueberry will be in to see me with the next 15-20 minute. I get excited watching the clock.

1700 The nurse comes and says again he will be in to see me in the next 15-20 minutes.

Finally 1730 I am demanding to see Blueberry, Crying hysterically and they wheel by baby boy into my room to see me. He was crying in the basinet but once I held him and he heard me talk he settled down. Mike and I decided, after I got to see him, to name him Conner Michael.

That is the birth Story of Conner Michael.

After the fact I found out the reason I took so long for me to see Conner was because he had very low blood sugars at birth. They tried to get an IV started in his hands and feet but could not find a good vein. They then tried to put one in his umbilical cord and had to call another doctor to help get it in. Conner was on IV Sugar water for the first 24 hours of his life.

At my 2 week post operation appointment I asked my doctor why the C-section was required. He said that I have a very small pelvic. He also said that the sacrum, which is normally concave in a woman, is convex; making it impossible for Conner’s head to make it to my pelvic. The doctor said the only thing I will give birth to naturally is a Lizard! How rude. The doctor also said once they opened me up that Conner had the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck twice. My doctor said for our next baby that I will have a scheduled C-section.

I am not going to lie this is not the way that I imagined I would be giving birth. And I am a bit depressed that I will never get to give birth naturally. But at least both Conner and I are now happy and healthy. And next time hopefully I can be a bit calmer and have a gentle C-section with an opportunity to hold the baby before they are whisked away for 5 hours.